Review
The Good Thief’s Guide to Amsterdam
by Chris Ewan
First
sentences:
“I want you to
steal something for me.”
Summary:
Charlie Howard travels the globe writing suspense novels for a living, about an intrepid burglar named Faulks.To supplement his income---and to keep his hand in---Charlie also has a small side business: stealing for a very discreet clientele on commission.
When a mysterious American offers to pay Charlie 20,000 euros if he steals two small monkey figurines to match the one he already has, Charlie is suspicious; he doesn't know how the American found him, and the job seems too good to be true. And, of course, it is. Although the burglary goes off without a hitch, when he goes to deliver the monkeys he finds that the American has been beaten to near-death, and that the third figurine is missing.
Back in London, his long-suffering literary agent, Victoria (who is naive enough to believe he actually looks like his jacket photo), tries to talk him through the plot problems in both his latest manuscript and his real life---but Charlie soon finds himself caught up in a caper reminiscent of a Cary Grant movie, involving safe-deposit boxes, menacing characters, and, of course, a beautiful damsel in distress.
Charlie Howard travels the globe writing suspense novels for a living, about an intrepid burglar named Faulks.To supplement his income---and to keep his hand in---Charlie also has a small side business: stealing for a very discreet clientele on commission.
When a mysterious American offers to pay Charlie 20,000 euros if he steals two small monkey figurines to match the one he already has, Charlie is suspicious; he doesn't know how the American found him, and the job seems too good to be true. And, of course, it is. Although the burglary goes off without a hitch, when he goes to deliver the monkeys he finds that the American has been beaten to near-death, and that the third figurine is missing.
Back in London, his long-suffering literary agent, Victoria (who is naive enough to believe he actually looks like his jacket photo), tries to talk him through the plot problems in both his latest manuscript and his real life---but Charlie soon finds himself caught up in a caper reminiscent of a Cary Grant movie, involving safe-deposit boxes, menacing characters, and, of course, a beautiful damsel in distress.
source: Goodreads
My
opinion:
If you
haven’t already guessed by now I am a huge fan of mystery novels as long as they
are not too thrilling. I like cozy mysteries and really well constructed but
not hardcore murder mysteries.
Many years
ago I bought my mum The Good Thief’s Guide to Paris for her birthday, not aware
at that time that it was the second in a series. I just thought the concept was
really unique and the title alone made me want to buy it. Some months ago she
finally read it (Yes, there is a book buying problem running in the family. It
seems to be genetic.) and loved it. So she went ahead and bought book one and
started it immediately.
While we
were in Amsterdam in May she often mentioned that book and how well the city is
portrayed in it. More than once I had to tell her that I wanted to read it
myself and beg her not to tell me more about the plot. So after returning I
started reading The Good Thief’s Guide to Amsterdam and had to agree with my
mum. It not only portrays Amsterdam really well, it is also hilarious and a
really unique concept.
A mystery
writer who is a part-time thief – that sounded intriguing. While Charlie is
trying to figure out where the book he is currently writing went wrong he gets
an offer to steal something from two separate apartments and deliver the stolen
good to a stranger the night her receives the offer. This is usually not Charlie’s
way of doing that so he declines the offer but curiosity gets the better of him
so he decides to snoop around for a bit and see if the objects are still at the
apartments, for him to take.
Immediately
he finds himself in the middle of intrigues and murder and tries really hard to
stay alive and as anonymous as possible.
The Good
Thief’s Guide to Amsterdam is a brilliantly written murder mystery with some
really unexpected plot twists, great characters and Charlie is a wonderful main
character. Yes, he’s a thief and a con-man but you cannot help but like him a
lot.
I cannot
wait to solve a new mystery with him in Paris.
The books
in the Good Thief’s Guide series are:
- The Good Thief’s Guide to Amsterdam
- The Good Thief’s Guide to Paris
- The Good Thief’s Guide to Vegas
- The Good Thief’s Guide to Venice
- The Good Thief’s Guide to Berlin
